Table of Contents
1 Laban’s sons said that Jacob had taken away all the wealth that belonged to their father. Jacob heard this.
2 Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude had changed.
3 Anu said to Jacob:
4 Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock.
5 Your father’s attitude has changed. But Anu had been with me. 6 I have served your father with all my power. 7 But your father had deceived me, and changed my wages 10 times.
But Anu has not allowed him to hurt me.
8 If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young.
9 So Anu has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10 It came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream.
Behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle [were] ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
11 The agent of Anu told me in a dream:
Here I am. 12 Look up and see all the rams which leap on the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto you.
13 I am the Lord of Bethel, where you anointedst the pillar, [and] where you vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get you out from this land, and return unto the land of your kindred.
14 Rachel and Leah replied:
Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?
15 Are we not foreigners to him? He had sold us and had quite devoured our money.
16 For all the riches which Anu hath taken from our father, that [is] ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever Anu hath said unto you, do.
17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels.
18 He carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19 Laban went to shear his sheep. Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.
20 Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face [toward] the mount Gilead.
22 Laban was told on the 3rd day that Jacob had fled.
23 He took his brethren with him, and pursued after him 7 days’ journey. They overtook him in the mount Gilead.
24 Anu came to Laban the Syrian in a dream and said to him:
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob who had pitched his tent in the mount. Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob:
What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war.
27 Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps?
28 You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye.
You have done a foolish thing.
29 I can harm you. But last night, Anu said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30 You have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household.
But why did you steal my idols?
31 Because I was afraid: I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
32 But if you find anyone who has your idols, that person shall not live.
In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me. If so, take it.
Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 Laban went into:
- Jacob’s tent
- Leah’s tent
- the two maidservants’ tents
But he did not find them.
Then he went into Rachel’s tent.
34 Rachel had taken the idols, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat on them.
Laban searched all the tent, but found did not find them.
35 She said to her father:
So he searched but could not find the household idols.
[angrily] 36 What is my crime? What is my sin that you has so hotly pursued after me?
37 You have searched all my stuff. What have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
38 I have been with you for 20 years. Your ewes and your she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn [of beasts] I brought not unto you; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst you require it, [whether] stolen by day, or stolen by night.
40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; my sleep departed from mine eyes.
41 I have been in your house for 20 years. I served you 14 years for your 2 daughters, and 6 years for your cattle: and you hast changed my wages 10 times.
42 If Anu and the fear of Isaac had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed.
Anu had seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you last night.
43 These are my daughters. These children are my children. These cattle are my cattle.
All that you see are mine. What can I do this day to my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
44 Let us make a covenant.
45 Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
46 They took stones and made a heap. Then they are upon the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
Therefore was the name of it called Galeed.
49 It was also called Mizpah because he said:
May Anu keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that Anu is a witness between you and me.
51 Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me.
52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me.
53 May the Anu of Abraham and the Anu of Nahor, the Anu of their father, judge between us.
So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.
54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there.
55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.
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